in:Deities, Lore: Characters, Aedra
- For the book in Online, see Xarxes and Oghma.
Xarxes is the god of secret knowledge and ancestry, and the Elven version of Arkay. He began as a scribe to Auri-El, and keeps track of all Aldmeri accomplishments, whether they be large or small, since the beginning of time. Xarxes created his wife, Oghma, from his favorite moments in history.[1] He is the author of the Oghma Infinium.[2]
Contents
- 1 Background
- 2 Artifacts
- 3 Representations
- 4 Gallery
- 5 Trivia
- 6 References
Background[]
In Aldmeri creation myths, Xarxes usually appears either as a scribe to Auri-El, or as a priest to Auri-El who was later elevated to divinity.[3] He has also been referred to as Hermaeus Mora's "loyal servant".[2] The inconsistencies in his origin story may be seen as falsehoods, but one may also interpret them as examples of Xarxes' manifold nature.[3]
Xarxes supposedly tracks not just the lives of individual Altmer, but he also keeps track of their lineages. Lineages are deemed important by the Altmer, so this role explains why he is a prominent god in the Summerset Isles.[3] It is supposedly through his will that Aldmeri society is among the most structured in Tamriel through his gift of the written word.[4] He has commanded the altmer to keep an everscriven scroll to memorize their lives, for recording one's actions is a sacred duty to Xarxes.[5]
Artifacts[]
The Oghma Infinium, though commonly attributed to Hermaeus Mora, was actually written by Xarxes. It contains the knowledge of the ages as revealed to Xarxes.[2] It has throughout the ages been given to many questing heroes who performed a service for Hermaeus Mora.
Representations[]
- Arkay – Bosmeri, Bretony, and Imperial Pantheons
- Orkey – Nordic Pantheon
- Tu'whacca – Redguard Pantheon
- Xarxes – Altmeri and Bosmeri Pantheons
Gallery[]
A statue of Xarxes (right) back-to-back with a statue of Auri-El (left) in the Monastery of Serene Harmony in the city of Shimmerene, Summerset.
Trivia[]
- Similar to the Nordic exclamation "Shor's Bones!," an Altmeri exclamation is "Xarxes Backside!" and generally used to express anger or shock.[6]
- Despite the name, there is no known connection between Xarxes and the Mysterium Xarxes, a book written by the Daedric prince Mehrunes Dagon.
- It is common in the Summerset Isles to include a prayer to Xarxes at the end of a letter[7][8]
References[]
- ↑ Varieties of Faith in the Empire
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Dialogue with Hermaeus Mora during "Discerning the Transmundane" in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Tu'whacca, Arkay, Xarxes
- ↑ Words and Power
- ↑ The Onus of the Oghma
- ↑ Dialogue with Valaste during "Long Lost Lore" in The Elder Scrolls Online
- ↑ Journal of Priestess Aranwen
- ↑ In the Event of Your Demise
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